Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz, Victor Cruz arrived in his hometown stadium hoping to make assignments right into their blocks. The native of Paterson is an undrafted free agent the Giants, and the idea that it could catch three touchdowns in the opening of the New Meadowlands Football Stadium was beyond imagination.

“Growing up, watching the Giants, the blue all my life, I feel like I’m dreaming right now,” Cruz said after he led the Giants with six receptions for 145 yards and three touchdowns in their victory over the Jets 31-16.

Cruz spent training camp trying to convince the coaching staff to keep it in the list. But his case was more convincing in the Monday Night Football, when placed in a highlight-worthy 64-yard touchdown catch with one hand and followed on the next drive with a 34-yard touchdown before sealing the game with a five-yard score.

Cruz admitted he was nervous before the match. His mother, sister and coach high school all went to his professional debut. The nerves turned into excitement in the first score, when he extended his left arm to pull in a pass from backup quarterback Jim Sorgi. He made a similar catch once in college, but at no other time in his career. Cruz said he was “surprised” when he made the play, which features the son of a Paterson firefighter to a national audience.

“Everyone knows now,” Sorgi said.

And it can affect the list of 53 players. There is still much time before the final list is determined, but the night of Cross solidified the strong two-week training camp that has already occurred and is likely to push its name from a depth chart filled with people.

“I hope that means a lot,” Cruz said. “I had the chance to show what I can do and prove that I am a pretty good player. I just want to go out and look forward to being part of the team, and leave the kids up above.”

Matt Dodge The experiment bombed tonight when rookie punter Jeff Feagles trying to replace struggled in his preseason debut. Dodge has suffered from lack of consistency throughout training camp, sometimes dazzling, with a strong leg and sometimes flummoxing coach Tom Coughlin, while Shanking a punt.

Dodge first punt did not last three seconds in the air, reaching 44 meters only after the lucky bounce. His second punt was blocked by Jets safety Eric Smith. Dodge improved with two punts for 52 yards and finished with a net average of 32 yards on four punts.

The linebacker Chase Blackburn was carried off the field in the third quarter with a sprained right knee. Blackburn said after the game his knee was “loose” but I can not imagine gravity.